Fabric, Lyrics & Patriotism

It’s not about the Flag.
It’s not about the Anthem.
It’s not about the Pledge.
It’s not about Football, Basketball, Baseball or any sport.

It’s about Racism.
It’s about innocent lives lost in senseless violence.
It’s about systematic police brutality against unarmed black men, women and children.
It’s about someone thinking they have the right to tell others how to express their rights.

Honestly, the fact that we even have to have this conversation is exactly why #TakeAKnee matters. When you marginalize the protest and the voices of those that are speaking out because they are marginalized all you have accomplished is proving their protest is valid, needed and warranted.

Let’s be real here, your problem isn’t with your perceived disrespecting of the flag – a flag is a piece of fabric and cannot be disrespected, same for a song or a pledge. Your problem is that you cannot believe they have the audacity to speak out and say that “hey you know what? America isn’t great.” Which, is deliciously ironic considering you championed a candidate who campaigned on America not being great. Only, his problem was in our diversity and their problem is in an inequity of rights and treatment because of their diversity.

Sure it is important to show respect for our country, but when our country doesn’t show respect in return and proves over and over again that your life and the lives of your children do not matter, there is no choice but to speak out and take a stand. We owe it to our country and the principles on which we were founded to fight back and demand that the rights of all Americans are protected, not just those that agree with you. And yes, you do have the right to speak your opinion – but when your opinion aims to silence or harm someone else’s rights, you not only are a hypocrite, but you’re abusing your rights.

For everyone screaming that “this isn’t the place for protest” – How would you like them to protest? They can’t march. They can’t speak on social media. They can’t speak out on TV. They can’t kneel. What do you deem acceptable form of protest?

Our flag isn’t our nation. It is a symbol. Our nation exists in the people that live here – whether born here or not. These men kneeling are taking part in the very elements that created our country, though their protest is far more peaceful than say, the Boston Tea Party. They are living the constitution and they are using their voices and peaceful protest to speak up for those that can no longer speak because their lives were violently and senseless stolen.

Standing for the flag, anthem or pledge doesn’t make you an American and it isn’t a measure of your patriotism. How you stand for your country and fellow citizens is the true measure of your patriotism, which by the way is not a contest. We all stand differently, that’s part of what truly makes us great.

Ignoring the real reason for the protest is a symptom of the very problem.

Being color blind isn’t the answer either – we cannot ignore the differences that make us who we are. That just marginalizes people and their heritage. What we need to do is fully embrace, understand and welcome everyone regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity, gender, country of origin, etc. Being tolerant or blind isn’t enough, it’s part of the problem.

Andrea, I think the chemicals that you use to fry your hair have seeped into your brain. I am not Jeff.
I know you won’t see this until after lunchtime, as you need to prepare the meals for all the men you serve. If you can have your husband/boyfriend/male member of your family know, I would love to have a serious debate with him about your article.
Thanks!

Sure, Liberty, let’s talk about the systematic racism in our country that impact socioeconomics -economic inequities, an unbalanced criminal justice system and an extremely unbalanced education system.

Your argument is part of the problem – justifying police brutality and the killings of unarmed black men, women and children on crime that exists in their neighborhoods. And yes, they take a knee for this every single day.

While, we are at it let’s not forget that 84% of white people are killed by other white people, but you never hear anyone talk about “white on white crime.”

My argument is not the justification of police brutality. It is that they place blame EVERYWHERE ELSE but on themselves. They completely ignore the fact that the vast majority of violence toward black people is carried out BY black people. So what’s the mentality for that? Is it like saying the word “nigger”? It’s okay as long as it’s a black person doing it? As long as there is someone else to point the finger at, they won’t take responsibility for ANYTHING they do wrong. So by all means, let’s continue to let them kill each other.

And while we’re talking about NFL players, pardon me if I find it hilarious that a group of people including those charged with violent crimes is bitching and whining about police brutality.

You’re completely missing the point – they are upset about violence in their own community and are working (alone) to address it. But when their voices are being marginalized right and left and the laws that exist exist to keep them oppressed, their work is exponentially harder. However, that never justifies or warrants any brutality against members of their community. No one would ever argue about white on white crime when a white person is shot by police or in any other attack. So, why is it even relevant in this argument? Let me answer that one for you, it’s not.

Actually, if you live in the United States then you’re living in a hybrid economy that is part socialist and part corporate oligarchy. All of us benefit from such “socialist” concepts as fire and police departments, public schools, paved roads, utilities, etc.

Unfortunately, rabid capitalism benefits from “reverse” socialism where profits are private and losses are often socialized (i.e. underwritten by taxpayers instead of stockholders). Thus the “economic inequality” that is at the core of so much poverty and crime in this country.

As for police brutality, as someone who has been on the wrong end of overzealous policing a time or two, it’s a very real problem that definitely deserves addressing by society. And before anybody starts slinging epitaphs at me…I’m a 60 year old left-leaning agnostic anarchist with a bad attitude who grew up in the South. I’ve heard it all and have been flamed online by greater minds than those trolls I’ve seen post here…